Left the ACO Stand 18 around 6 am and started to walk up the hill to the Dunlop Curves. On the way up the hill I stopped by the Stands towards the end of the front straight for shots of the cars going up the Dunlop Curves before going under the Dunlop Bridge. hope you like the photos.For these shots needed to push the lens against the catch fencing to get a clear shot. As I was packing up my gear I looked up in the sky, and the sky was very dark and overcast. It looked like we would be getting more rain. By now I was starting to get very tired and didn’t feel like getting wet again. Also, with the overcast skies, I wouldn’t be able to get shots of the morning sun lighting the cars as they pass under Dunlop Bridge and go down the hill to The Esses. Hence, decided to turn around and walk down the hill to Maison for some shots through the inner catch fencing/outer fencing cut-out. After shooting there, walked down to Stand 23, then walked around the Ferris Wheel to the part of Maison Blanche that is near where the cars enter the “S” Ford Curves for rear shots of the cars as they go through the curves and into the front straight. For these shots, needed to push the lens up against the catch fencing for clear shots.

After walking back to Stand 23 which overlooks the “S” Ford Curves, it was around 10.30 am. I was getting very tired and found panning with the 300mm very difficult. Finally gave in to the fatigue, and sat down in the stand with the 5DIII and 300mm on my lap, and head on the lens, for some much needed sleep. However, about 30 minutes later, something woke me up. I looked up, and the sun was breaking through the clouds, and you guessed it, I stood up, and started taking more photos. For a different angle, went to the top of Stand 23 and panned the cars as they left the straight in front of the stand into the left-hand corner, before turning into the front straight. Tried to get some of the “Le Mans” wording which was painted on the track in the shots. Also, practiced my panning with the 300mm and 1.4x extender by starting at 1/200 to 1/400th sec for “bread and butter” shots, then working to slower shutter speeds down to 1/50th sec. My success rate at 1/50th sec was very low, but only needed one good shot. As they say “high risk, high reward”.

Around 12.00 noon, headed back to the ACO Stand 18 for lunch and to get some pit action and podium shots.

The Dunlop Curves

A Corvette leading an Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Audi Sport Team Joest, LMP1) through the Dunlop Curves. Shot from a stand near the end of the front straight, with the lens against the catch fencing (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/800, -1EV, ISO 640)

Maison (lens was pushed up against the outer catch fencing and aimed towards the cut-out in the inner fencing at Maison) 

Morgan-Nissan ART Car (Oak Racing, LMP2 class) going over the “S” Ford Curves, with an Oreca 03-Nissan (Murphy Protoypes, LMP2 class) close behind (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/800, -1EV, ISO 320)

Oreca 03-Nissan (G-Drive Racing, LMP2 class) going through the “S” Ford Curves, closely followed by an Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Audi Sport Team Joest, LMP1 class) and a Porsche 911 (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/800, -1EV, ISO 1000)

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Audi Sport Team Joest, LMP1 class) going through the “S” Ford Curves, closely followed by a Morgan-Judd (Morand Racing, LMP2 class) (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/800, -1EV, ISO 320)

The “S”Ford Curves from Maison Blanche

Corvette C6.R ZR1 (Larbre Competition, LM GTE AM) exiting the “S” Ford Curves into the front straight (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/500, -1EV, ISO 320)

Ferrari 458 Italia following a Porsche 911 through the “S” Ford Curves (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/800, -1EV, ISO 250)

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Audi Sport Team Joest, LMP1 class) following a Toyota TS030 Hybrid (Toyota Racing, LMP1 class) through the “S” Ford Curves (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/4, 1/800, -1EV, ISO 250)

The “S” Ford Curves From Stand 23

Toyota TS030 Hybrid (Toyota Racing, LMP1 class) exiting the “S” Ford Curves (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/5, 1/250, ISO 100)

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Audi Sport Team Joest, LMP1 class) exiting the “S” Ford Curves (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/11, 1/125, ISO 100)

Corvette C6.R ZR1 (Corvette Racing, LM GTE Pro) exiting the “S” Ford Curves. Finally got a panning shot at 1/50th sec! (Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300mm f2.8L IS II with 1.4x extender III, 420mm, f/11, 1/50, ISO 100)